FEI World Cup Vaulting 2016/17, the countdown begins – who will be triumphant?
By Hannah Eccles
This week the thrilling FEI World Cup Vaulting 2016/17 season gets underway, as vaulters compete at two different stations, Madrid (ESP) and Paris (FRA), for the all-important points to qualify for the final in Dortmund (GER), March 2017.
The event, which has proved to be an overwhelming success, returns with this promising to be its best year yet. Many of the stars of this summer’s FEI World Vaulting Championships in Le Mans (FRA) are taking part in the hope of winning the prestigious FEI World Cup™ Vaulting title.
In a sport that is continually growing, crowds are promised jaw dropping routines as vaulters perform a mixture of power and grace moves, all creatively intertwined with music to entertain equestrian audiences, as vaulters battle it out for the titles of individual male, individual female and Pas de Deux.
With the emphasis solely on two rounds of freestyle, vaulters are continually having to push the boundaries of imagination and artistry in order to set themselves apart from the competition.
There is a top class line up, and with a range of championship winners and medallists all vying for the title, it is a tough competition to call. After Madrid and Paris vaulters will head to Salzburg (AUT), Mechelen (BEL) and Leipzig (GER), seeking qualifying for the Dortmund final.
Individual male – a tough battle
Last year’s individual male winner Daniel Kaiser (GER) will compete at the season opener in Madrid, 24-25 November, which successfully hosted its inaugural FEI World Cup™ Vaulting qualifier last year. He will face the challenge from fellow Germans, European silver medallist from Aachen 2015 Thomas Brüsewitz and Jannik Heiland (GER) and from Switzerland’s Lukas Heppler.
Whilst in Paris (26-27 November), FEI World Vaulting Championships 2016 silver medallist Frenchman Vincent Haennel, will be the firm favourite to win in front of the home crowd. He will have to fend off strong competition from club mate Clement Taillez for those crucial World Cup points. Switzerland’s Lukas Heppler – who will compete at both Madrid and Paris qualifiers – and Hungary’s Balazs Bence will also be hoping to put on the pressure.
Audiences will have to wait until Salzburg, 8-9 December, for the rematch between German countrymen Daniel Kaiser and Jannis Drewell – who battled it out for the title last year. Jannis finished the year as the ranked number one male vaulter in the world.
Individual female – A new champion
Following the retirement of FEI World Cup™ Vaulting 2015/16 individual female winner Simone Jäiser (SUI), this division will be closely contested.
Runner-up in last year’s FEI World Cup™ Vaulting, and coming off the back of her most successful season, where she won the silver medal at the FEI Vaulting World Championships 2016 and ranked number one female vaulter in the world, Kristina Boe (GER) will be the frontrunner coming into the winter season. Freestyle specialist Kristina will make her FEI World Cup™ Vaulting 2016/2017 debut in Mechelen (BEL), 27-29 December.
She will have tough competition for the title from previous FEI World Cup™ Vaulting winner Anna Cavallaro (ITA), who is back on top form with her new equine partner Monaco Franze 4. Together they won the bronze medal at this summer’s World Championship. She heads up the Madrid line up which commences at 19.00 local time on Thursday 24 November, where she will face opposition from Austria’s Isabel Fiala and the young Swiss competitors, Marina Mohar and Nadja Büttiker who have positioned themselves at the top of the sport.
The current number two in the individual female world rankings, Janika Derks (GER), will be the favourite for the Paris qualifier which commences on Saturday 26 November at 16:30 local time, where her competition will be Switzerland’s Pascale Wagner and Austria’s Isabel Fiala – who will compete at both Madrid and Paris.
Equally important are the horses who not only allow the vaulters to perform these awe inspiring routines but are also marked themselves making up 25% of the total score. With a mix of experienced and young horses taking part in the tournament – it will be interesting to see the impact our equine partners have on proceedings.
Live coverage on FEI platforms starts in Paris, with Competition Day 1, Saturday 26 November available on the FEI You Tube channel, with coverage from Competition Day 2, Sunday 27 November on FEI TV.
FEI World Cup Vaulting 2016/17 Calendar
Madrid (ESP), 24-25 November (no Pas de Deux)
Paris (FRA), 26-27 November
Salzburg (AUT), 8-9 December
Mechelen (BEL), 27 & 29 December
Leipzig (GER), 20-21 January
Dortmund (GER) Final, 2-5 January 2017
Full information on FEI World Cup Vaulting visit the FEI website here
